Saint Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35–107/110 AD) was an early Christian bishop and martyr whose seven authentic letters remain among the most valuable writings of the Apostolic Fathers. Written during his journey to martyrdom in Rome, these letters express his profound love for Jesus Christ, devotion to the Eucharist, concern for Church unity, and courage in suffering.

The following collection draws from the seven letters generally accepted as authentic: Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphians, Smyrnaeans, and Polycarp. Each quotation includes a specific chapter and section reference to help readers locate it in the original work.

Editorial note: The wording of ancient texts varies between English translations. The quotations below use concise English renderings, with occasional omissions indicated by ellipses. References follow the standard chapter-and-section numbering of Ignatius’s letters. For publication, it is advisable to retain the references and identify the translation used in the edition consulted.

A. Love for Jesus Christ

1. “For to me it is better to die for Jesus Christ, than to reign over all the ends of the earth.”

Source: Letter to the Romans, 6.1.

2. “He who is near to the sword is near to God.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 4.2.

3. “Permit me to be an imitator of the passion of my God.”

Source: Letter to the Romans, 6.3.

4. “My love has been crucified.”

Source: Letter to the Romans, 7.2.

5. “I desire the bread of God, the heavenly bread, the bread of life, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

Source: Letter to the Romans, 7.3.

6. “I seek Him who died for us; I desire Him who rose again for our sake.”

Source: Letter to the Romans, 6.1–2; condensed rendering.

7. “Let fire and the cross; let the crowds of wild beasts; let tearings, breakings, and dislocations of bones … come upon me, so long as I attain to Jesus Christ.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 4.2; excerpt.

8. “I am God’s wheat, and I am ground by the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of Christ.”

Source: Letter to the Romans, 4.1.

9. “It is better for me to die for Christ Jesus, than to reign over the ends of the earth.”

Source: Letter to the Romans, 6.1; alternate rendering of Quote 1.

10. “Now I begin to be a disciple.”

Source: Letter to the Romans, 5.3.

B. Faith, Hope, and Christian Life

11. “Faith is the beginning, and love is the end.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 14.1; concise rendering.

12. “Faith and love are the beginning and the end of life.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 14.1; concise rendering.

13. “Let your baptism be your arms; your faith, your helmet; your love, your spear.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 6.2; adapted rendering.

14. “Pray without ceasing.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 1.3; wording also echoes 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

15. “Be wise as serpents in everything, and harmless as doves.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 2.2; biblical allusion to Matthew 10:16.

16. “Stand firm, as does an anvil which is beaten.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 3.1; concise rendering.

17. “The times call for thee, as pilots do for winds, and as one tossed with tempest seeks for the haven.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 2.3; excerpt.

18. “Be sober as an athlete of God.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 2.3.

19. “The prize set before thee is immortality and eternal life.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 2.3; concise rendering.

20. “It is better to keep silence and be, than to talk and not to be.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 15.1.

C. Unity and the Catholic Church

21. “Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 8.2.

22. “Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 8.1.

23. “Where the bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 8.2; excerpt.

24. “Do ye all follow your bishop, as Jesus Christ followed the Father.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 8.1; concise rendering.

25. “Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is administered either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 8.1; condensed rendering.

26. “It is fitting, then, not only to be called Christians, but to be so in reality.”

Source: Letter to the Magnesians, 4.

27. “It is right, therefore, that we not only be called Christians, but that we actually be Christians.”

Source: Letter to the Magnesians, 4; alternate rendering of Quote 26.

28. “Let nothing be done without your consent.”

Source: Letter to the Magnesians, 7.1; addressed in the context of ecclesial unity.

29. “Be united with the bishop and with those who preside over you.”

Source: Letter to the Magnesians, 6.1; condensed rendering.

30. “Be subject to the bishop and to one another, as Jesus Christ was subject to the Father.”

Source: Letter to the Magnesians, 13.2; condensed rendering.

D. The Eucharist and the Life of the Church

31. “They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 7.1.

32. “The Eucharist is the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 7.1; excerpt.

33. “They who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 6.2; concise rendering.

34. “Be careful, therefore, to observe one Eucharist.”

Source: Letter to the Philadelphians, 4.

35. “For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to show forth the unity of His blood.”

Source: Letter to the Philadelphians, 4; condensed rendering.

36. “There is one altar, as there is one bishop.”

Source: Letter to the Philadelphians, 4; concise rendering.

37. “Let no one deceive himself: if anyone is not within the altar, he is deprived of the bread of God.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 5.2; excerpt.

38. “Let your assembly be frequent.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 13.1; concise rendering.

39. “Come together in common, every one of you individually.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 5.2; excerpt.

40. “Do not err, my brethren.”

Source: Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 6.2.

E. Love, Humility, and Christian Witness

41. “The beginning is faith, and the end is love.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 14.1; alternate rendering of Quote 11.

42. “Nothing is better than unity.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 13.2; concise rendering.

43. “Bear with all, even as the Lord does with you.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 10.3; concise rendering.

44. “Pray for them that persecute you.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 10.1; biblical exhortation echoed by Ignatius.

45. “Let your works be your deposits, that you may receive the sums that are due to you.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 6.2; condensed rendering.

46. “He who professes faith does not sin, and he who possesses love does not hate.”

Source: Letter to the Ephesians, 14.2; condensed rendering.

47. “Nothing is better than peace, by which all warfare is brought to an end.”

Source: Letter to the Philadelphians, 8.1; condensed rendering.

48. “Be gentle in response to their wrath, humble in opposition to their boasting.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 2.1; condensed rendering.

49. “Let your works be your charges, that you may receive your due.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 6.2; alternate rendering of Quote 45.

50. “Stand firm in the faith, and love one another.”

Source: Letter to Polycarp, 1–6; thematic summary, not a verbatim sentence.

References and Further Reading

For accurate verification and further study, consult these editions of the original letters:

1. Saint Ignatius of Antioch, The Seven Epistles. Translated in Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 1, edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. Christian Classics Ethereal Library. https://ccel.org/ccel/ignatius_antioch/epistles_of_ignatius/anf01.v.i.html

2. EWTN, The Seven Epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch. A complete English translation of the letters. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/seven-epistles-of-st-ignatius-of-antioch-20957

3. Catholic Culture, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans. Includes the shorter and longer recensions, with the shorter recension representing the generally accepted authentic text. https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=1633

4. Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 14 March 2007: “Saint Ignatius of Antioch.” https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20070314.html

5. Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History, Book III, Chapter 36. An early historical account of Saint Ignatius and his letters.